Aurora Likoma
Metriaclima aurora
Aurora Likoma is a Lake Malawi mbuna from the Likoma Island area, appreciated for its active rock-dwelling behavior and bright male display color. Like most mbuna, it does best in a structured aquarium with plenty of rockwork and carefully chosen tank mates.
Physical Characteristics
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Size: 5-6 inches.
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Coloration: Sexually dimorphic; mature males show stronger display color while females and juveniles are more subdued.
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Body Shape: Compact, muscular mbuna body built for moving through rockwork.
Origin and Habitat
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Native Region: Likoma Island is in northern Lake Malawi on the Malawi side of the lake, close to Khuyu, Ngani (Jalo) Bay, and Mango Drift Lodge.
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Natural Habitat: Intermediate habitat at the interface between rock and sand. Occurs mostly at depths of 13-39 ft, rarely entering deeper zones.
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Same-Locality Cichlids: Other cichlids recorded from Likoma Island include Aulonocara hueseri 'Likoma Island', Aulonocara saulosi 'Likoma Island', Aulonocara sp. 'walteri' Likoma Island, and Chindongo sp. 'elongatus ornatus' Likoma Island.
Behavior and Temperament
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Temperament: Mildly aggressive.
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Social Behavior: Best kept in a properly stocked mbuna setup with multiple territories and visual barriers.
Aquarium Care
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Tank Size: A 55 gallon aquarium or larger is recommended for adult mbuna groups.
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Water Parameters: 74-84°F, pH 7.4-8.4, hard water.
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Tank Setup: Provide sand, extensive rockwork, caves, and broken sightlines. Keep filtration strong and water conditions stable.
Diet and Feeding
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Primary Staple: Feed a quality daily diet such as Ron’s Mbuna Food.
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Juveniles: Growing fish can be fed Ron’s Juvenile Food.
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Fry: Newly released fry should be started on Ron’s Fry Food.
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Feeding Frequency: Feed 1–2 small meals daily and avoid overfeeding.
Breeding
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Breeding Type: Maternal mouthbrooder.
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Breeding Notes: Males claim territories among the rocks and display to females. Holding females may be moved to a separate setup if fry survival is the goal.
Tank Mates
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Compatible With: Other similarly sized Lake Malawi mbuna with comparable aggression levels.
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Avoid: Peaceful community fish, very small fish, and overly aggressive species that can dominate the tank.
